Chamber and committees

If the gas price remains high, it encourages investment in renewables—if the prices are linked—but it disadvantages the consumer. We pay more for our electricity if it is generated from renewable resources. Are you happy with that?

I will watch carefully, cabinet secretary.

I am not sure that the two go hand in hand, but I will ask my next question.

The CCC recommended the establishment of a GB-wide electricity infrastructure delivery group. Do you support that? What should its immediate priorities be?

You may want to look to your right, cabinet secretary, as there was some nodding. I am sorry. I am trying to help you, but if you do not want to take it, that is fine.

I have a final question on this area. An electricity networks commissioner has been established recently. Has the Scottish Government made contact with them? If so, what has been discussed?

Those are all the questions that we have. I thank the cabinet secretary and his officials.

The next step will be for this committee to produce a report to Parliament on our inquiry in the coming weeks. I would like to reiterate what I said at the beginning: the inquiry will produce interesting evidence that I believe the Government and the Parliament should consider carefully in relation to our targets to reach net zero. I think that our report will be crucial in enabling us to achieve that, so I can but encourage you, cabinet secretary, to give it credence when it comes out.

On that note, I will conclude the public part of our meeting.

I know. They are interesting reading. I think that the fear of communities is that they see one 400kV line and they want to know whether two or three more are coming down the line. Mark Ruskell has a question about that.

I am being quite generous. The instrument is about amending the targets, but I know that you are interested in how the targets will be achieved. I will allow you to ask one more question and then, in fairness, I will allow other members to come in.

The committee will report on the outcome of its consideration of the instrument in due course. I invite the committee to delegate authority to me as convener to finalise the report for publication. Are members happy to do that?

Members indicated agreement.

I thank the cabinet secretary and her officials for attending. I suspend the meeting so that we can prepare for the next item.